He could spend a lot of the 12 months away from dwelling competing on the ATP Tour, however Felix Auger-Aliassime by no means feels too removed from his roots.

The Canadian performed his half in a team-event double in 2022, main Canada to victory on the ATP Cup and the Davis Cup Finals. The delight Auger-Aliassime feels when taking part in for his nation maintains a connection he has all the time felt between his childhood and his life as a professional.

“Growing up back in Montreal, Canada was a great upbringing,” the 22-year-old not too long ago mentioned in an interview with the ATP Tour. “My dad was a tennis coach and still is today, so he brought tennis into the family for my sister and I. So we grew up playing tennis every day after school. I had this dream of, I guess, being in the position I am today.”

Staying optimistic by the hurdles. That’s the important thing for @felixtennis 🔑 pic.twitter.com/kYHNHDQsMV

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 20, 2023

Auger-Aliassime is famend for his cool, calm and picked up on-court manner, even when the going will get powerful. Netflix’s Break Point adopted the Canadian throughout his 2022 Roland Garros marketing campaign, when he fell to an agonising five-set defeat to icon Rafael Nadal within the fourth spherical. The Spaniard went on to carry the trophy for a record-extending 14th time on the clay-court Grand Slam.

Although Auger-Aliassime had come inside a set of pulling off a historic victory in opposition to the most effective gamers in historical past, his psychological strategy ensures he doesn’t overreact to on-court disappointment, regardless of how heartbreaking.

“You’re alone out there on the court,” mentioned Auger-Aliassime. “There’s just one man that lifts the trophy, that leaves the event undefeated. It toughens your pores and skin rather a lot.

“What’s always been very important for me is to have the big picture. I think that’s helped my mental health tremendously. Try to always stay positive and look at how you can use those challenges to improve.”